Work Skills Opt-Out Is Here. Now What?
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has released its Work Skills Assessment waiver and informational letter. Unfortunately, it's October, well after the back-to-school paperwork window that would have made distribution seamless. Principals now have decisions to make about how to meet the new requirements, how actively to facilitate opt-outs, and what those choices will mean for students and spring testing. Here's what you need to know and two possible paths to consider.…
Open Your Doors: Make Principals Month a Leadership Opportunity
October is Principals Month, a time to recognize the important work principals do every day. It's also an opportunity to help others understand that work by inviting lawmakers to see it firsthand. When was the last time your state representative or senator spent a day in a school? Maybe they attended a graduation, cut a ribbon, or posed for a photo. But have they experienced the work of a school leader? Do…
TL;DR: Politics Briefly
Not much happened in Lansing this week. But sometimes what lawmakers don't do tells us something too. The House Education and Workforce Committee posted a lengthy agenda Wednesday: HB 6023 (Paquette): Adds the Classic Learning Test as an accepted college entrance examination. HB 6096 (Kelly): Extends how long Annual Career Authorization (ACA) can be used for certain career and technical education teachers. HB 6106 (VanderWall): Makes changes to the Student Mental Health…
Work Permits Are Changing: What Principals Need to Know Now
Beginning Oct. 2, Michigan is moving youth work permits out of local schools and into the state’s new Youth Employment Permit Portal (YEPP) run by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). For principals, there are two things to know right now: There is very little that schools need to do and nothing that has to be done urgently. The new system may create opportunities to use information about student…
Statewide Assessment Results and Five Questions for Principals
Spring 2026 state assessment results are now public, bringing renewed attention to school performance and the inevitable comparisons and questions that follow. For principals, the numbers themselves aren't new. Schools received their results earlier, and many leadership teams have already begun examining what they show. What changed with Friday's score release is the audience. Parents, board members, community members and reporters can now see the results, compare schools and begin forming their…
TL;DR: Politics Briefly
This week we lost the incomparable Dolly Parton, legendary Tim Curry, iconic voice actor Peter Cullen—Optimus Prime, Predator, and Eeyore among others—and the ability to remember the Great Lakes with the acronym HOMES. It's a shame. In state political news, the House Education Committee met Wednesday and advanced HB 5919 (Rep. Paquette) on a party-line vote. MASSP joined MASA, Oakland Schools and others in opposition. The bill is being framed as promoting…
The More You Know: New Laws for 2026-27
A handful of new laws take effect for the first time during the 2026-27 school year. Principals are likely already aware of—and may already be prepared for—some or all of these changes. Still, they are worth reviewing as the school year begins. The good news is that not every change creates a major new compliance burden and the biggest changes will provide principals with leverage for reducing disruptions caused by cell phones…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
After weeks of uncertainty and another late-night scramble in Lansing, the Legislature finalized the 2026-27 School Aid budget, adopting a true weighted student funding model for At Risk and ELL and improving funding stability for districts facing declining enrollment while also massively expanding the diversion of School Aid Fund dollars and providing a foundation increase that, while not terrible, still falls short of inflation (see MASSP's full article for details). The final…
Legislature Finishes K-12 Budget for 2026-27
After another of the late-night scrambles that have come to typify the budget process in Lansing, the Michigan Legislature has adopted the 2026-27 School Aid budget. The final budget takes a significant step forward in terms of both structure and investment toward a true weighted student funding model, provides a modest 2.5% foundation increase, and improves funding stability for districts facing declining enrollment. However, these positives are undercut by a massive expansion…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
Lansing gave school leaders another week of wheels-spinning-car-not-moving, as the House kept debating and advancing more education policy bills that may or may not have a future in the Senate while budget talks produced plenty of noise and finger-pointing, few clear (and often conflicting) signals on how much progress is actually being made in negotiations, and no measurable progress toward completing the state budget by the July 1 statutory deadline. The House…